Year in review — 1: We finally got our new bridge

This was an occasion well worth the 57-year wait.

Since 1965, the project has been the subject of decades of on-again, off-again funding commitments from various levels of government and a number of community campaigns, including one bluntly titled 'Build the bloody bridge!' in 2012.

After more than 140 years with a single Murray River crossing, drivers and pedestrians could now enjoy safer and easier trips between the border towns via a new river crossing connecting the Murray Valley Hwy in Echuca with the Cobb Hwy in Moama.

Dhungala was unveiled as the name of the new Echuca-Moama bridge when it was officially opened to traffic by then Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Victorian Transport Minister Jacinta Allan.

Dhungala is the Yorta Yorta word for the Murray River, and both the new bridges have been named in recognition of the region’s rich and proud Indigenous heritage.

The new Campaspe River crossing will be called Yakoa Bridge. Dhungala and Yakoa are the respective names in Yorta Yorta language for the Murray and Campaspe rivers.

Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Moama Local Aboriginal Land Council and Cummeragunja Local Aboriginal Land Council collaborated to name the Dhungala Bridge, with Yorta Yorta Nation endorsing the name for the new Campaspe River crossing.

The bridge, completed at a cost of $323.7 million, was funded by the Australian, Victorian and NSW governments.

More than 400 direct jobs and up to 1100 indirect jobs were created during the project.

It was built in four stages — the Murray Valley Hwy and Warren St roundabout (Victoria, completed in mid-2018); Warren St upgrades (completed November 2019); new road and bridges over the Campaspe and Murray rivers (linking NSW and Victoria, completed April 2022); and the ‘Moama intersection upgrade’, taking in upgrades to the Cobb Hwy, Meninya St and Perricoota Rd intersections (NSW, open to traffic April 2022, landscaping and minor work continuing to mid-2022).

Cyclists and pedestrians are also among the project’s chief beneficiaries, with 4.9 kilometres of new safe and scenic shared user paths now open for their enjoyment alongside the new river crossing.

Mr Joyce said the completion of the project was another example of the Coalition Federal Government delivering for regional Australia.

“The Coalition Government is delivering the infrastructure that will make our nation as strong as possible as quickly as possible,” he said.

“We put the money on the table for the new Echuca-Moama bridge, and now we’ve delivered the biggest transport infrastructure project this region has ever seen.

“This will completely transform the movement of freight through this region, slashing costs for transport operators and moving goods and commodities to where they need to be, sooner.

“Projects like this will drive our economy into the future by supporting the industries that produce and sell the products that make our nation wealthier and stronger.”

Ms Allan said the Echuca-Moama Bridge Project would transform travel between the border towns.

“You only had to see the excitement of the packed crowd who walked across the new river crossing at (the) special community event to understand this is a landmark project that’s going to dramatically improve everyday travel in this iconic region,” she said.

“It’s expected 10,000 vehicles will use the new river crossing every day, reducing traffic on the existing Murray River bridge by about 40 per cent — a reduction that will considerably ease peak-hour congestion for people travelling between Echuca and Moama.

“With the combined population of Echuca-Moama expected to grow by around 20 per cent by 2031, this second river crossing will cater for the immense growth across both towns, keeping them moving for decades to come.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway said the new river crossing would take traffic out of the town centres of Echuca and Moama, giving local roads back to locals.

“The project will reduce traffic by around 42 per cent in High St through the historic Port area of Echuca, and by about 35 per cent in Meninya St, Moama,” Mr Farraway said.

“It will also allow for easier and safer movement of large agricultural machinery and freight out of the town centres by supporting heavy and oversized vehicles that are restricted from using the existing Murray River bridge.

“This is an outstanding result for local drivers who will now enjoy safer and more reliable trips on their local streets.

“New Cobb Hwy intersections with traffic lights at Perricoota Rd and Meninya St at Moama will also provide improved safety and efficiency for visitors, commuters and freight connecting to the new Murray River crossing.”

The story behind the new Murray River bridge’s name is told in the stunning Dreamtime-themed artwork Dhungala Dreaming, created by Yorta Yorta elder Aunty Judy Atkinson, which was recently unveiled at Victoria Park, Echuca.

The official opening came a day after more than 8000 people took the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the new bridge.

Riverine Herald’s Walk of the People became a reality after organisers of the new Echuca-Moama bridge community event agreed to include several Campaspe and Murray River community groups and dignitaries in their plans.

Community event organisers worked all week with the councils to finalise a plan for the celebration, which will now include the Echuca Federal Band, Echuca-Moama Rotary Club, both mayors and several councillors, along with the Echuca Aero Club and several Echuca-Moama boat owners.

It gave all members of the community a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk the region's newest river crossing before it opened to traffic.

Attendees were treated to a pass-by from a flotilla of historic paddlesteamers, thrilling stunts from aerobatic planes and performances from local marching bands.

To cater for people with mobility requirements, a convoy of buses transported more than 150 people on to the new bridge prior to the event opening to pedestrians, allowing mobility scooters to access the bridge.